No Greater Glory
by Merith
Duo knocked softly at the bathroom. "Heero? I picked you up some of that pink stuff and these pills I think will work," he said, opening the door.
Seeing Heero slumped over on the toilet with his face pressed to the wall, he hurried forward. "Hey," he called in a low voice. Heero's eyes opened briefly, stared at him in misery and then closed. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead; his hair was plastered around his face and two florid spots the only color on his face.
"Let's get you cleaned up some first. Then the medicine." Wrinkling his nose, Duo tried to ignore the smell and soaked a washcloth. "If you take both now, the pink stuff will work immediately and the pills will kick in later," he said, wiping off Heero's brow, soothing the heated skin.
Once rinsed with fresh water, Duo laid the cloth over the back of Heero's neck, receiving a quiet sigh in appreciation. He smiled slightly, and brushed his fingers through the damp hair. At the sink, he made a cursory glance at the instructions, carefully poured the thick gluttonous mess into its dispenser, and removed two caplets from its packaging. A glass of water in hand, he gave Heero the small plastic cup first and tossed it into the sink when it was emptied.
Heero hadn't finished the water before he croaked out a panicked "can!"
Holding the wastebasket in front of the vomiting man, Duo noticed this hadn't been its first use. Hiding a grimace, he ran a soothing hand over the thigh he was crouched next to. When Heero slumped back, chest heaving from exertion, he set the can aside, making a note to call housekeeping just as soon as Heero was settled in bed.
"Guess that's not going to work," Duo muttered, wetting down another washcloth.
"Sorry," Heero murmured, head back and eyes closed.
"S'kay." Duo loosen the laces, and pulled both shoes off before slipping Heero's jeans from his legs. "Do you want to keep your boxers on?" At Heero's nod, Duo stood. "I'll let you finish here, and then bed, k?" He picked up the few items scattered on the floor, items he was sure had been tossed off in frantic hurry.
Leaving the bathroom door open, Duo continued to straighten the room. "If you're feeling too bad, we can always go home," he offered, hanging coats and organizing winter accessories on the dresser. "It's not like we can't come back in a couple of weeks."
"Don't be stupid," Heero rasped out from the doorway, leaning against its frame. "If it wasn't breakfast, it's just a twenty-four hour thing." He shuffled forward, making for the bed. "I'll be fine after a nap. I'm not ruining our first vacation in years."
Duo fought from rolling his eyes, and finished unpacking. "I hope you feel better tomorrow, because you wouldn't believe this town. Pretty cool place with lots of interesting shops. I can't wait to check them out with you." He went to stand by the bed, smiling softly at the exhausted looking ex-pilot. Seeing the covers bunched awkwardly, he straightened them, smoothing the top layers and folding the heavy comforter back out of the way.
"Walking back, though, I could have sworn I saw Wufei." Heero's eyes opened to stare at him. Duo shrugged. "By the time I made it up the hill, I couldn't spot the car or the guy I thought was him." He went to the bathroom and poured Heero a glass of water. "Hey listen, since we're going to be stuck in the room for the night, I thought I'd run down to the gift shop, pick up a couple of books, stuff like that." Returning to the bedside, Duo set the glass down. "Want anything while I'm there?"
Heero opened his eyes and gave him a weak smile. "Not right now." He frowned. "You don't have to stay here with me. I'll be fine."
"As if," Duo chided. "We came together. 'Sides, this will give me the chance to read a book or two." He gave Heero a reassuring grin, a quick kiss on the cheek and headed for the door. "Be back in a few."
*
"What's a seven letter word for 'toasted bread'? Starts with a 'C'." Duo asked, frowning at the puzzle book in his hands.
"Crouton," the muffled reply came from the bed.
"Ah, cool." Duo filled the blanks. His eyes flicked to the bed and lingered. Over the past several hours, his lover had napped on and off and had been able to keep the medicines down. He had hopes for dinner, as long as it wasn't fancy. Setting the booklet aside, he laid a hand on Heero's forehead and had it promptly swatted away.
"I'm not running a fever," Heero glared at him. "It was that diner you made me eat at."
Duo shook his head, exasperated. "Sorry! We were both hungry, and it looked better than that fast food place." Receiving a snort in reply, he wandered to the balcony door. "It's funny, running into Relena and Wufei here, of all places." Heero grunted. "I knew they were sort of seeing each other, but man, here?"
"Leave them alone, Duo."
"Oh I will." Duo chuckled, eyes looking over the resort-park below. "With Wufei's job and Relena's schedule, it's a wonder the two would ever have a chance to kiss, let alone talk! Shit, if it were up to me, I'd kidnap them, hide 'em away for a few days, and let it happen."
The blankets rustled as Heero shifted. "They're doing fine on their own."
Shooting him a glance, Duo saw Heero trying to read again and suppressed a sigh. He still felt guilty for making Heero stop when they could have continued, and for joking that road-kill cafes wouldn't hurt a Gundam pilot. The glass door slid open easily, and he stepped out into the cold. When they'd made vacation plans, somewhere secluded - an out-of-the-way spot - had been their first priority. This mountain resort, with nearby ski slopes, ice rinks and an antiquated village was perfect - it could only be accessed by a half day's drive except in the direst emergency.
Snow fell quietly, drawing him to the balcony rail and Duo leaned over the edge trying to catch a few flakes in his outstretched hand. "It's snowing," he called out and laughed at himself. It'd snowed earlier that morning on the drive up, but even after three years of being exposed to earth's elements, he continued to marvel at its uniqueness, its wonder.
The sound of a familiar laugh caught his attention and he looked down. Two floors below, the ESUN's most famous personage and her escort chased each other over a flat stretch of ground. A snowball was tossed, and it splattered against the back of Wufei's coat. The young man turned with a mock growl, packed snow in hand. Relena squealed and darted away. Watching, Duo smiled, wanting to call out to them but refrained.
"Hey, Heero, come look at this," he called out just loud enough for Heero to hear. Even as the shuffled footsteps joined him at the rail, the woman in a bright red coat threw herself back to sprawl on a smooth patch making snow angels. "They seem so young," Duo whispered, his hand seeking Heero's.
His fingers closing over his lover's, Heero replied in the same low voice, "They are." Duo shot him a startled glance, and Heero smiled. "So are we." The cold caught up with him and he shivered.
Immediately Duo scowled. "Damn it Heero, how are you going to get better if you run around outside in your boxers." He pulled the amused man back inside, and fussed until he was settled back in bed. Kicking off his boots, Duo laid next to him. "You know, if all we do is stay here, just like this, it would be worth it."
Heero turned to him, raising a brow. "We could have stayed home and done this."
"Yeah," Duo hedged, fingertips skimming the surface of a bare arm. "But here there's a view of the mountains. And we don't have to fix meals, or make the bed." He snuggled closer, pressing his lips to Heero's neck.
His shiver having nothing to do with the cold, Heero's hand did some wandering of its own. "We never make the bed," he murmured, lifting his chin and exposing his throat.
Duo made an amused noise and slipped his arm around Heero's waist, pulling him closer. "You think if you feel better tomorrow, we might be able to test the springs on the bed?"
Aligning his body against his lover, Heero chuckled into his hair. "Oh most certainly." Pulling back, he looked at Duo with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Though, as sick as I've been, you know what that means?" His eyebrows raised and lowered several times in quick succession.
Through the puzzled frown, the reference became apparent. Duo grinned and shrugged negligently. "Doesn't make a difference in my book," he murmured, his kiss aimed for Heero's mouth. "I'll take you anyway I can get you - even sick, smelly and on top of things."
|